The viability of MM.1S, INA-6, RPMI-8226, MM.1R, Dox-40, ARP-1, and ANBL-6 cells is lowered in a concentration-dependent manner by melflufen (melphalan flufenamide) (0.5-10 μM; 24 hours)[1]. In MM.1S cells, melflufen causes apoptosis [1]. Additionally, melphalan is a strong exosome secretion activator [3].

In a xenograft mouse model, melflufen (3 mg/kg; intravenously administered twice weekly for two weeks) exhibits anti-MM action [1].

Cell viability assay
Cell Types: Multiple myeloma cells: MM.1S, INA-6, RPMI-8226, MM.1R, Dox-40, ARP-1, ANBL-6 Cell
Tested Concentrations: 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10 μM
Incubation Duration: 24 hrs (hours)
Experimental Results: A significant concentration-dependent decrease in viability was observed for all cell lines.

Animal/Disease Models: CB-17 SCID mouse (human plasmacytoma MM.1S xenograft mouse model) [1]
Doses: 3 mg/kg
Route of Administration: intravenous (iv) (iv)injection; twice a week for two weeks
Experimental Results: Significant Dramatically inhibits MM tumor growth and prolongs mouse survival.

Absorption, Distribution and Excretion
For a 40 mg intravenous infusion, the active metabolite reaches a Cmax of 432 ng/mL, with a Tmax of 4-15 minutes, and an AUC of 3143 h\*µg/mL.
Data regarding the route of elimination of melphalan flufenamide are not readily available. Free melphalan undergoes rapid and spontaneous decomposition, complicating studies on the route of elimination. However, it is expected to be mainly renally excreted.
The mean volume of distribution of melphalan flufenamide is 35 L and of melphalan is 76 L.
The mean clearance of melphalan flufenamide is 692 L/h and of melphalan is 23 L/h.

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Metabolism / Metabolites
Melphalan flufenamide is metabolised to desethyl-melphalan and melphalan. Melphalan is spontaneously hydrolyzed to monohydroxy-melphalan and dihydroxy-melphalan.

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Biological Half-Life
The mean elimination half life of melphalan flufenamide is 2.1 minutes and of melphalan is 70 minutes.

Protein Binding
Data regarding the protein binding of melphalan flufenamide are not readily available. However, free melphalan is 60% bound to albumin, 20% bound to alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, and 10% bound to other proteins in plasma.

[1]. In vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of a novel alkylating agent, melphalan-flufenamide, against multiple myeloma cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2013;19(11):3019-3031.

[2]. A novel alkylating agent Melflufen induces irreversible DNA damage and cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma cells. Br J Haematol. 2016;174(3):397-409.

[3]. Mechanisms associated with biogenesis of exosomes in cancer. Mol Cancer. 2019 Mar 30;18(1):52.

Melphalan flufenamide, also known as melflufen or J1, is a prodrug of [melphalan]. Melphalan flufenamide is more readily uptaken by cells than melphalan, and is cleaved to the active metabolite by aminopeptidases. In vitro models show that melphalan is 10 to hundreds of times more potent than melphalan. The increased potency makes melphalan flufenamide a treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have attempted at least 4 lines of therapy already. Melphalan flufenamide was granted FDA approval on 26 February 2021.. It has since been withdrawn from the market in the wake of the phase 3 OCEAN trial which showed a decrease in overall survival in comparison to standard treatment with [pomalidomide] and [dexamethasone] despite superior progression-free survival.
Melphalan flufenamide is an Alkylating Drug. The mechanism of action of melphalan flufenamide is as an Alkylating Activity.
Melphalan Flufenamide is a peptide-drug conjugate composed of a peptide conjugated, via an aminopeptidase-targeting linkage, to the alkylating agent melphalan, with potential antineoplastic and anti-angiogenic activities. Upon administration, the highly lipophilic melphalan flufenamide penetrates cell membranes and enters cells. In aminopeptidase-positive tumor cells, melphalan flufenamide is hydrolyzed by peptidases to release the hydrophilic alkylating agent melphalan. This results in the specific release and accumulation of melphalan in aminopeptidase-positive tumor cells. Melphalan alkylates DNA at the N7 position of guanine residues and induces DNA intra- and inter-strand cross-linkages. This results in the inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis and the induction of apoptosis, thereby inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. Peptidases are overexpressed by certain cancer cells. The administration of melphalan flufenamide allows for enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity compared to melphalan.
See also: Melphalan Flufenamide Hydrochloride (annotation moved to).

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Drug Indication
Melphalan flufenamide is indicated in combination with [dexamethasone] to treat adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received ≥4 therapies and are refractory to at least one proteasome inhibitor, immunomodulatory agent, and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. The FDA has withdrawn the drug from the market for this indication following phase 3 trial data showing decreased overall survival.

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Mechanism of Action
Melphalan flufenamide is a more lipophilic prodrug of melphalan, which allows it to be more readily uptaken by cells. It is likely taken up into malignant cells by passive diffusion, where it is hydrolyzed by aminopeptidase N. The expression of aminopeptidases, along with other hydrolytic enzymes, is upregulated in many malignant cells, making the hydrolysis reaction to melphalan more favourable in a malignant cell. Increased concentrations of free melphalan in malignant cells leads to rapid irreversible DNA damage and apoptosis, reducing the potential for the development of resistance. Free melphalan is an nitrogen mustard derivative alkylating agent. Melphalan attaches alkyl groups to the N-7 position of guanine and N-3 position of adenine, leading to the formation of monoadducts, and DNA fragmenting when repair enzymes attempt to correct the error. It can also cause DNA cross-linking from the N-7 position of one guanine to the N-7 position of another, preventing DNA strands from separating for synthesis or transcription. Finally, melphalan can induce a number of different mutations. While melphalan induces phosphorylation of the DNA damage marker γ-H2AX in melphalan sensitive cells at 6 hours, melphalan flufenamide induces γ-H2AX at 2 hours. Melphalan flufenamide is also able to induce γ-H2AX in melphalan-resistant cells.

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Pharmacodynamics
Melphalan flufenamide is an alkylating agent indicated to treat relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in Melphalan flufenamide has a long duration of action as it is given every 28 days. Patients should be counselled regarding risks of thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, anemia, infections, secondary malignancies, embryo-fetal toxicity.

C24H30CL2FN3O3

498.4204

497.165

380449-51-4

Melflufen hydrochloride;380449-54-7

9935639

Typically exists as solid at room temperature

4.81

2

6

14

33

579

2

CCOC(=O)[C@H](CC1=CC=C(C=C1)F)NC(=O)[C@H](CC2=CC=C(C=C2)N(CCCl)CCCl)N

YQZNKYXGZSVEHI-VXKWHMMOSA-N

InChI=1S/C24H30Cl2FN3O3/c1-2-33-24(32)22(16-18-3-7-19(27)8-4-18)29-23(31)21(28)15-17-5-9-20(10-6-17)30(13-11-25)14-12-26/h3-10,21-22H,2,11-16,28H2,1H3,(H,29,31)/t21-,22-/m0/s1

ethyl (2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-amino-3-[4-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]phenyl]propanoyl]amino]-3-(4-fluorophenyl)propanoate

J1 J-1 Prodrug J-1 MelflufenPepaxto

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

May dissolve in DMSO (in most cases), if not, try other solvents such as H2O, Ethanol, or DMF with a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples

Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples.

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Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80： Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution → 50 μL Tween 80 → 850 μL Saline)
*Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300 ：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL Corn oil)
Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)]
*Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin → 500 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO → 100 μLPEG300 → 200 μL castor oil → 650 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10： 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol → 100 μL Cremophor → 800 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline
Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 900 μL Corn oil)
Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)

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Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium)
Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400
Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders

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Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently.

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 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)